 |
|
Depression screening for cancer patients too often falls between the cracks
December 11, 2007Depression is known to be associated with cancer yet too many cancer patients are not screened for this mental disorder, according to researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine, the Regenstrief Institute and the Roudebush VA Medical Center.
In a study published in the November-December issue of General Hospital Psychiatry, Caroline Carney Doebbeling, M.D., M.Sc. and Laura Jones, Ph.D., looked at data from the Roudebush VA Medical Center, where 95 percent of veterans in primary care are screened for depression.
They report that depression screening in cancer patients was not done nearly as frequently with, for example, only slightly over half of veterans with lung cancer receiving screening. "In places without integrated care and mandated primary care depression screening like the VA, we speculate that screening rates are even worse," said Dr. Carney Doebbeling, associate professor of medicine and of psychiatry at the Indiana University School of Medicine and a Regenstrief Institute research scientist.
Lung cancer has one of the highest associations with depression of any cancer, according to Dr. Doebbeling, who is an internist and a psychiatrist. Many lung cancer patients have a history of smoking which has a strong association with depression and anxiety disorders.
"In any clinical setting, the cancer care provider needs to care for the patient's mental as well as physical needs through the course of treatment. Once cancer develops, an individual who is depressed may be less likely to be adherent to their cancer therapy regimen as has been shown in other conditions like heart disease and diabetes. This issue has not yet been sufficiently studied in cancer yet," says Dr. Carney Doebbeling. "What is clear is that cancer patients treated for depression report a better quality of life during the course of treatment. This comes back around to the need to screen and recognize depression early on."
Why do doctors fail to screen cancer patients for depression" "When doctors think their patients have a higher risk of mortality, depression screening is not as big a focus. Clinicians need to be made aware that depression screening is important even in end-stage cancer," said Dr. Jones, who is with the Roudebush VA Medical Center's Center of Excellence on Implementing Evidence-Based Practice and is a health services researcher.
Dr. Carney Doebbeling adds, "Cancer survivorship is an especially difficult experience if you are depressed. If we as clinicians don't have long-term awareness of patients' depression how can we expect them to do well through the course of their treatment and beyond, no matter how long they have post treatment"
Indiana University
Lung cancer has one of the highest associations with depression of any cancer, according to Dr. Doebbeling, who is an internist and a psychiatrist. Many lung cancer patients have a history of smoking which has a strong association with depression and anxiety disorders.
"In any clinical setting, the cancer care provider needs to care for the patient's mental as well as physical needs through the course of treatment. Once cancer develops, an individual who is depressed may be less likely to be adherent to their cancer therapy regimen as has been shown in other conditions like heart disease and diabetes. This issue has not yet been sufficiently studied in cancer yet," says Dr. Carney Doebbeling. "What is clear is that cancer patients treated for depression report a better quality of life during the course of treatment. This comes back around to the need to screen and recognize depression early on."
Why do doctors fail to screen cancer patients for depression" "When doctors think their patients have a higher risk of mortality, depression screening is not as big a focus. Clinicians need to be made aware that depression screening is important even in end-stage cancer," said Dr. Jones, who is with the Roudebush VA Medical Center's Center of Excellence on Implementing Evidence-Based Practice and is a health services researcher.
Dr. Carney Doebbeling adds, "Cancer survivorship is an especially difficult experience if you are depressed. If we as clinicians don't have long-term awareness of patients' depression how can we expect them to do well through the course of their treatment and beyond, no matter how long they have post treatment"
Indiana University
Depression News and Current Depression Events RSSWhat a Sleep Study Can Reveal About Fibromyalgia
Research engineers and sleep medicine specialists from two Michigan universities have joined technical and clinical hands to put innovative quantitative analysis, signal-processing technology and computer algorithms to work in the sleep lab.
Yerkes researchers create animal model of chronic stress
In an effort to better understand how chronic stress affects the human body, researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, have created an animal model that shows how chronic stress affects behavior, physiology and reproduction.
New study finds that add-on therapy improves depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder
Lingering depression is a serious and common problem in bipolar disorder, and does not resolve well with existing treatments.
Children of older fathers more likely to have bipolar disorder
Older age among fathers may be associated with an increased risk for bipolar disorder in their offspring, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Study examines relationship between low birth weight and psychiatric problems in children
Low-birth-weight children appear to be at higher risk for psychiatric disturbances from childhood through high school than normal-birth-weight children, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Family therapy helps relieve depression symptoms in bipolar teens
Family-focused therapy, when combined with medication, appears effective in stabilizing symptoms of depression among teens with bipolar disorder, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Mom's mood, baby's sleep: what's the connection?
If there's one thing that everyone knows about newborn babies, it's that they don't sleep through the night, and neither do their parents.
Sex differences seen in response to common antidepressant
Women with depression may be much more likely than men to get relief from a commonly used, inexpensive antidepressant drug, a new national study finds. But many members of both sexes may find that it helps ease their depression symptoms.
Antidepressants need new nerve cells to be effective, researchers find
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered in mice that the brain must create new nerve cells for either exercise or antidepressants to reduce depression-like behavior.
Antidepressants in suicide prevention
Antidepressants are the cornerstone of treatment of depressive disorders in health care. Their efficacy in treating depression is undisputable, although it leaves room for improvement.
More Depression News Articles
 | New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) by Stephenie Meyer Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves... |
 | The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle Ekhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle's clear writing, supportive voice, and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who's ever wondered what exactly "living in the now" means. Foremost, Tolle is a world-class teacher, able to explain complicated... |
 | Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen Jacob Jankowski says: "I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other." At the beginning of Water for Elephants, he is living out his days in a nursing home, hating every second of it. His life wasn't always like this, however, because Jacob ran away and joined the circus when he was twenty-one. It wasn't a romantic, carefree decision, to be sure. His parents were killed in an auto accident... |
 | Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger, and Impulsiveness by Daniel G. Amen In this age of do-it-yourself health care (heck, if the doctor only sees you for 10 minutes each visit, what other options are there?), Change Your Brain, Change Your Life fits in perfectly. Filled with "brain prescriptions" (among them cognitive exercises and nutritional advice) that are geared toward readers who've experienced anxiety, depression, impulsiveness, excessive anger or worry, and... |
 | Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck Centennial Edition) by John Steinbeck MAXnotes offer a fresh look at masterpieces of literature, presented in a lively and interesting fashion. Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independ ent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions. MAXnotes... |
 | Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Revised and Updated by David D. Burns The good news is that anxiety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self–esteem, and other "black holes" of depression can be cured without drugs. In Feeling Good, eminent psychiatrist, David D. Burns, M.D., outlines the remarkable, scientifically proven techniques that will immediately lift your spirits and help you develop a positive outlook on life. Now, in this updated edition, Dr.... |
 | Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life by Byron Katie, Stephen Mitchell Remember the phrase "question authority"? Loving What Is is a workbook on questioning authority--but in this case, what is in question is the authority of our own fundamental beliefs about our relationships. Known simply as "The Work," Byron Katie's methods are clean and straightforward. The basis is a series of four questions addressed to your own lists of written assumptions. Whether you're... |
 | The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness by J. Mark G. Williams, John D. Teasdale, Zindel V. Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn The Mindful Way through Depression draws on the collective wisdom of four internationally renowned cognitive therapy and mindfulness experts, including bestselling author Jon Kabat-Zinn, to help you break the mental habits that can lead to despair. This authoritative, easy-to-use self-help program is based on methods clinically proven to reduce the recurrence of chronic unhappiness. Informative... |
 | Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller "I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him... |
 | An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison In Touched with Fire, Kay Redfield Jamison, a psychiatrist, turned a mirror on the creativity so often associated with mental illness. In this book she turns that mirror on herself. With breathtaking honesty she tells of her own manic depression, the bitter costs of her illness, and its paradoxical benefits: "There is a particular kind of pain, elation, loneliness and terror involved in this kind... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |